It's the new and the old for local boys
 
Mabton is in its first 1A tournament, while Granger makes fourth straight appearance
 
By ROGER UNDERWOOD
YAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC

Back in the day, they might have had a bake sale in Mabton.

They might have sold pies and cakes in support of the Vikings' qualifying for the Class B state tournament, something Mabton did with Mel Stottlemyre, for example, in 1959.

Today, in celebration of a new era and a new tournament, the hot items are T-shirts.

"In three and a half days, we've sold 79 or 80 shirts," Mabton coach Brock Ledgerwood said. "They say 'Mabton basketball, state 2007,' just to get some support and to get some purple in the stands."

There will no doubt be purple in the SunDome at 9 a.m. today when the Vikings tip-off the Class 1A tournament against Cashmere.

It will be the first such competition for Mabton, which reached the B state tourney 19 times.

Granger, on the other hand, will be a familiar face when it engages Toledo at 12:30 p.m. It will be the Spartans' fourth consecutive 1A appearance under coach David Gibb.

For the Vikings (12-11) it's been an uphill battle after moving up from Class B.

They had to win their last two regular-season games over Highland and Goldendale to avoid a first-round loser-out game at district, then downed Connell (44-39) and the Spartans (44-35) before falling to River View (58-42) for the district title.

"I think we're playing inspired basketball," Ledgerwood said. "No one expects us to be here, but we're playing with a lot of confidence right now. This team doesn't have as much talent as some we've had in the past, but as a team it's probably the best I've had in the seven years I've been here."

Forward Eric Tellez and guard Juventino Morfin have led Mabton in scoring, averaging 12.2 and 10.3 points per game, respectively. But Ledgerwood said others have asserted themselves of late, and their success has been embraced by the team.

"Our leading scorer (Tellez) had averaged about 13 points a game, but in the three district games only averaged about five," Ledgerwood said, "and he's one of the happiest kids on the team."

Cashmere, 16-10 in its first season under longtime Goldendale coach Mike Carlquist, is led by 6-foot-1 senior Michael Miller.

"I understand he's getting a full ride for baseball at Oregon State," Ledgerwood said. "He was at a camp somewhere last spring and they said he was the fastest kid in the nation going from home to first."

Granger (17-7), the SCAC West champion despite losing its last two regular-season games, might be thought to be coming in without momentum.

But the Spartans, after losing to Mabton, beat archrival Zillah 41-36 in a loser-out district game. The triumph reversed two earlier losses to the Leopards and halted their consecutive state tournament streak at 15.

"The Zillah game was really a big boost for us," said Gibb, who has taken teams to state in six of the last seven years. Last season's 21-6 squad finished seventh.

"The kids are anxious to get to the tournament. Most of them have been there before."

Indeed, this will be the fourth state tournament for senior Mario Mengarelli, an all-around standout who averages 11.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, five assists and four steals a game. Scoring leader R.J. Solis (14.7 points) and reserve guard Kevin Dodd will each be playing in their third state tournament.

The Spartans are short, as they always seem to be, with 6-1 Matt Castro their tallest player. But also as usual, they are extremely quick and can come at an opponent in waves.

In Toledo (20-3), Granger must deal with 6-1 senior Ryan Votaw (22.3 points, 9 rebounds per game).

"He was the MVP of their league," Gibb said. "They have another big banger inside (6-2 Jarrod Yates), who's sort of their garbage man. But they're not real deep, so hopefully our attacking style will help us.

"I think the kids are playing really relaxed right now. It's taken 24 games to get here, they understand what it takes to get here and I think they know what it takes to win a game or two and get a trophy."